“No, he’s doing it because he likes me, too.” Ty’s lips kicked up.
Again, he’d thought that was all part of the deal. “I don’t hate you so much I would give up the chance to be with her, and I’m honest about what could happen and not worried about it.”
“So you’re saying something could happen, and if it did you wouldn’t like freak out and worry about your sexuality and go into some weird shame spiral that would ruin all our lives,” Ty prompted.
Michael grunted his assent because that summed up the situation. Max and Rye seemed to have some freaky twin thing going on where they would practically read each other’s minds. It probably served them well when in bed with their wife, but he and Ty weren’t ever going to have that. It would be awkward and weird, and their dicks would probably brush up against each other at some point because they didn’t have a million years of practice. Michael had plugged that scenario into his decision making and decided it wouldn’t be the end of the world.
Ty gave him a thumbs-up. “Cool. I wouldn’t be worried about it either if it did happen. But if Lucy thinks I’m the one cooking for her, she won’t eat it. She’ll be real stubborn.”
“Then we’ll spank her together,” he replied. “You’re going to learn how to take charge sometimes, and she’s going to learn that there are some things she shouldn’t be stubborn about. And some things she should. She’s going to learn it’s okay to lean on you and that you can lean right back. She’s also going to let us help out with her siblings.”
“Why are we here?” James asked. “Because it sounds like Michael knows what he’s doing.”
Stef sighed. “Well, he’s such a secretive bastard I wouldn’t have imagined he was so open with his sexuality and smart about how a relationship like this should work. He seems to understand Ty and Lucy. So I approve.”
Michael sent Stef his happy middle finger.
Ty winced. “Sorry about that. He speaks a language of grunts and curse words. The rude hand gestures are new. I’m sorry. I get that you’re looking out for Lucy.”
Ty needed to stop apologizing. He grunted Ty’s way.
Ty huffed and shook his head, but there was a gleam in his eyes when he turned to Stef again. “And now you know our intentions are pure and you can stay out of our relationship with Lucy.”
That was better.
“Excellent.” Stef speared a potato. “I’ll leave it all in your hands, but you should know that if you do need advice, the men of Bliss are willing to help. Have you thought about how you’re going to approach Lucy again?”
“I thought we would show her we can work together tonight.” He’d had enough of Stef. “If things go well, we’ll take her back to our place. Now unless we’re going to discuss Max’s upcoming vasectomy, we’re done talking.”
“He’s worse than Doc was in the beginning,” James whispered to his brother.
“Don’t talk about Doc.” Max had paled, and he put his fork down. “Does it have to be Caleb? He’s awful with the prostate exam. I can’t imagine what he’ll do to my balls.”
“We have a place?” Ty asked.
“We have your place.” At least the food was excellent. He’d forgotten what good food tasted like. For a long time everything had tasted like ash in his mouth, but he was starting to remember what a good breakfast could do for a man. “It’ll have to do.”
“And we might have to be sneaky about getting her there,” Ty said with a nod.
“Nope.” He wasn’t going to spend his time playing games, no matter how well intentioned they were. It was time to strip down to the basics and see if they could work.
“What does that mean?” Ty asked.
“Eat your breakfast. You’ve got the mid shift and then we’ll pick Lucy up. She’s working a late shift tonight. I’ll handle everything. Just be ready to follow my lead.”
“I’m kind of afraid not to,” Ty admitted.
Then things would work out. For the first time in a long time, he felt a wave of positivity.
He went back for seconds.
* * * *
It had been almost a whole day and no text.
Somehow she’d thought there would be a text. Or a call. Or Michael might drop by to pick up his SUV.
After telling her he’d gone back to Ty’s place, she’d expected that they would show up for breakfast. She’d thought she would wake up and both men would be on the porch waiting to apologize and ask her what she was doing this evening.
Working. That was what she was doing. She was working, and it looked like she would stay working.
“Hey, order up.” Van had joined her again. They’d spent much of the shift talking about the party they would both be supervising this weekend. Van would run the bar and she would manage the servers.